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Reacting sharply to the merger of eight Congress MLAs with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa on Wednesday, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said that they stand as the "symbols of pure evil" while also calling their joining a "subversion of the political and democratic process".
Eight Goa Congress MLAs including former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa on Wednesday. Among others who joined the ruling BJP include Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes. They joined BJP after meeting Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Assembly complex during the day. Hitting out at the leaders, Sardesai issued a statement which read, "The eight legislators who have decided, against all political propriety, basic decency and honesty, to pursue their greed for wealth and hunger for power, stand today as the symbols of pure evil, displaying their shameless selfishness, avarice and chicanery, in defiance of Almighty God." He called their merger "much more than" betrayal of people's mandate. "We often see political defections as a betrayal of the people's mandate, but it's much more than that. It's a betrayal of the people, subversion of the political and democratic process, the repudiation of their own parentage, and the denigration and mockery of God," Sardesai said. He dubbed the leaders' act as "undisguised disloyalty and treachery towards the very people who elected them", and said that the people will never forget it, and will respond to them "in a fitting manner". He also came down heavily on the BJP which returned to power winning the Assembly elections earlier this year, and said they are in power "not because of the mandate of the people but because of deceit and manipulation". Sardesai further alleged that the party has "lowered democracy and parliamentary politics" and also "reduced Goa to ridicule" by treating people's representatives as "commodities like sacks of wheat, to be bought for a price". He described the MLAs as "unfaithful" stating that they "allowed them to be purchased like cattle". Sardesai also hit out at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and alleged that he "failed in every constitutional and administrative duty he's been assigned". "The people will not forget that the chief minister who would consider himself to be victorious in this dirty bargain has miserably failed in every constitutional and administrative duty he's been assigned including the proper governance of the state, protection of life and property of its citizens," he said. The Goa Forward Party president appealed to the people of the state to reject them and "brand them as enemies of the people". "We will, as a party, fight this political plague that has destroyed Goa, and appeal to true Goemkars to reject these traitors with the contempt they deserve from our civilised and discerning society, and brand them as enemies of the people and God," he said. Earlier today, former Congress MLA Michael Lobo who joined the BJP said that they have merged to strengthen the hands of PM Modi. "We have merged with BJP with a majority of 2/3rd to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant... 'Congress Chhodo, BJP ko Jodo', said Lobo. Meanwhile, Goa CM Sawant also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and said that "Congress Chhodo Yatra will begin from Goa now" while welcoming the leaders. The BJP already holds a majority of 25 in the House of 40 of which its own 20 MLAs with two others from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three independent leaders. After the joining of eight Congress MLAs, its count will rise to 33. (ANI)
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